Shaler



Sept- 18, 1951 s. SHALER 2,568,665

WOODWORKING PLANE Filed April 2, 1948 vIIJI'IIIIA INVENTOR 7 50w. SHHLER z a I S ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE Saul Shaler,-Jackson Heights, N. Y. Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,602

This invention is a woodworking plane which may be made almost entirely from sheet stock in an economical and efficient manner and yet produce a high class tool capable of fine work.

Heretofore plane stocks have been made either "from wood or as metal castings. In either case they are relatively expensive and if they are dropped on the fioor or other hard surface, they are very apt to be broken. However, when the stock of plane is made from sheet metal, such as sheet steel, of appropriate thickness, bent into the desired shape, the plane may be dropped upon a hard surface without any damage to the stock. Similarly-bit clamps have heretofore been made either from Wood or cast metal whereby they are also apt to become broken. The present invention provides for the 'manufacture' of plane stocks and clamp embodying sheet metal stampings which may be dropped on a hard surface without damage thereto.

"Likewise the pitch plate of the plane of the present invention, instead of being formed from a wood stock or cast integral with a cast stock, is. the form of 'a sheet metal stamping which in practice maybe welded into the stock to form the throat of the plane.

of economical and efficient manufacture and assembly and yet provide forall required adjustments in an easy and expeditious manner.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to,'will be apparent-from the hereinafter detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompany- :ing drawings.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one practical embodiment of'the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention. 'Figurel is a' plan view of the plane embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a central section on. he line 2-4 of'Figure 1:

' 4. Claims. (Cl. 14513) Figure 3 shows certain parts of the plane disof these individual parts may be clearly understood.

Figure 4 is a fragmental section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectionon the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows the way the blank of sheet metal, from which the stock is formed, is channeled or grooved to permit the blank to be bent to form substantially sharp edges along the sides of the stock. The plane of this invention may be of an suitable type, but, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the invention as incorporated in Block Plane construction. 'In manufacturing such a plane, the stock is formed from a fiat sheet metal blank of appropriate thickness, preferably of the order of 1%", plus or minus.

In'bla'nking out the stock, the central portion of the blank, which is to constitute the sole I of the stock, is punched to provide a slot or mouth 2, while the lateral portions of the blank are shaped to form the upstanding side walls 3 of the stock. At the same time finger grip holes 4 are formed in' the wall portions 3 and a perforatmon 4a is formed in the forward part of the sole portionto receive a rivet 5, by which which holds the sole portion of the blank flat andupsets the side wall portions '3 into substantially parallel but slight divergent relation to one another and substantially normal to the 'plane of the sole. The bending of the blank is'accom plished along the lines of the channel 1, so that, when the sides are bentup as stated, both channels are substantially closed as shown in Figure 5. The advantage of channeling the blank is that, when bent as indicated in Figure 5, a very sharp edge may be produced, providing along the longitudinal edges of the stock, fairly sharp external angles, whereby the plane iron or bit which extends through the mouth of 'the sole, will'be as close as possible to the exterior edges of the side walls 3Yof the throat. This allows the 'planeto' be used in the planing of rabbets and other wood forms wherein the surfaces to be planed meet one another in an angle less than 180.

In the plane of this invention, the element which underlies and supports the plane iron or bit 8 is also made from a sheet metal stamping in the form of the flanged pitch plate 9 shown in detail in Figure 3. It embodies a plate 9 provided along its lateral edges with depending wedge shaped flanges l and along its rear or upper edge with a depending flange H having two perforations l2 and I3. The plate 9 is also provided with a perforation M near its lower edge.

displace the stock downwardly to form a boss Ma shown in Figure 2, to give greater thickness for threading the hole thus formed. Thishole is adapted to receive the threaded post 35a of the plane. receive the adjusting screw I5.

Between the holel4 and the rear edge of the plate 9; is punched a rectangular hole- !6 and the punching and forming die whichv carries out this operation forms some of the stock at the opposite sides of the hole. It; intotwo lugs I! which are depressed about the thickness of the stock of the ;.sheet:metalfrom which the-pitch plate is formed.

In bending the blank for the formation of the pitch plate and its flanges, said blank, may be channeled in the same. manner as the blank for the 'stock-waschanneled at I, but this-is not necessary as sharpxedges are not required on the pitch plate.

The, lugs l1: areadapted to act as retainers for an. adjusting, slide, I8 shown indetail in Figure 3. The forward'endiof thisgadjusting slideis adapted to restuponzthe lugs l=1',as;shown inFigure 2, and itiisiprovidedat its forward end with an upstanding nose l9;adaptedtobereceived within a transverse slot l 9a ofthe bitor. plane iron 8. The rear end of said slide hasa depending flange 20 provided with a punched and tapped hole 2! which,

'when the upper surface of the slide 18': is in face contacting relation with the; under side of the pitch plate 9, is alined with the hole 2 of the pitch plate, and the adjusting-screw is passed through the hole [2 and threaded into atapped 'hole 2| ofthe slide. Theadjusting screw: IE will 1101a the rear portion of the slide in engagement with theunder side of thepitch plate, while the lugs I! support the forward end of the slide and maintain the nose IS in the hole IU of the'bit.

To preclude the slidefrom being inadvertently retracted so far asto disengage it from the lugs 'l 1; said slide is provided with an upset stop 22 adapted toengage with the rear end: of the hole 16 of the. pitch plate before-the forward edge of the slide is disengaged from the lugs H. To preclude longitudinal movement of the adjusting screw I5, it is provided with a shoulder 24 bearing against a washer '23v embracing, the knurled shank [Ed on which the head I51) of the screw hasfa forced fit.

Tolaterally adjustthe plane!) or bit 8,'a lever 25', shown in Figure 3, is secured to the rear of the flange H by a rivet 26 passed through a perforation 21. in said lever and: through the perforation I3 of the flange and headed over as shown. This lever 25: has a central opening 28 in itspower arm to straddle thefhead of the adjusting screw IS with sufficient clearance to permit the lever 25 to be'swung on its pivot to and fro about the axis of the rivet 26. The work arm 29' of the'lever extends through a slot 30 in the bit, so-that, when the tail piece 3| at the end The hole l2 in the flange II is to a of the power arm of the latter is grasped and the lever is oscillated, the upper portion of the bit will be shiftecllaterally to square the cutting edge of the bit in the mouth 2 of the sole.

The pitch plate is adapted to be placed upon the upper surface of the sole between the side walls 3 and welded in place. This may be accomplished by three welds, one weld 3| being at the center of the forward edge and the other two being at theoppositesidewalls, as indicated at 32. To facilitate accurate positioning of the pitch plate, in quantit production, each of the flanges l0 thereof is preferably provided with a projection 33 formed therein during the punching and forming operation and complementary depressions are likewise formed in the inner surfaces of theside walls 3, whereby the mere act of bringing these projections into cooperation with the recesses, will properly position the pitch plate for welding.

The bit clamp 34 is also die stamped from a .fiat sheet metal into substantially the form and shape shown. It is provided with a key hole slot 35. near its forward end for cooperation with a post 35a and to the under side of its rear portion is riveted a fixed nut 36 in which operates the threaded shank 31 of the clamping screw. Formed integral with this screw is a hand wheel 38 and below the hand wheel projects the heel 39 of the screw, to bear against theupper surface of the bit 8. The bit clamp can be readily removed by loosening the clamping screw 31 through rotation of the hand wheel, whereupon it may be movedto position thelarge end of this keyhole slot 35 in alinement with the head. of the post [5; The bit is thereby released and can be removed and replaced at will.

It will-be noted that the rear edge of the mouth 2- is ground tothe angle of the pitch plate, so that the bit may be adjusted more readily with respect tothe under surface of. the sole. and the forward edge of the mouth, to take shavings of the desired thickness. The holes 4 shown in Figure 2 provide convenient means whereby the plane may be firmlygripped in use.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in itspreferred practical form, but

;the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what .I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A woodworking plane comprising: a sheet metal stock having a sole with integral upturned side walls, said sole having formed therein a transverse mouth, a pitch plate secured to the stock and interposed between said walls and extending in an upward inclined relation back from the mouth and provided with tapered depending lateral flanges resting on the sole and secured in face contacting relation to the side walls of the stock, a headed post extending downwardly and threaded into a tapped hole in the pitch plate, a bit clamp apertured for detachable engagement with said post and carrying on its under side a clamping screw for engagement with a bit resting uponthe pitch plate beneath the bit clamp to detachably secure the bit to the pitch plate with the cutting edge of the bit extending'through the mouth .of the sole, and a bit adjusting slide mounted for longitudinal movement against the under side of the pitch plate and having a projection extending upwardly. through said plate to engage with a hole in the. bit, said pitch plate being provided at its rear end with a'depending apertured flange, and an adjusting screw extending through the aperture in said flange and engaging with said slide to adjust the slide in a direction longitudinally of the pitch plate to correspondingly adjust the bit with respect to the mouth of the plane.

2. A woodworking plane comprising: a sheet metal stock having a sole with integral upturned side walls, said sole having formed therein a transverse mouth, a pitch plate rigidly secured to the stock between the side walls tosupport a plane bit with its cutting edge projecting through said mouth, said pitch plate having therein an opening with depressed parallel guide flanges along its lateral edges, a bit adjusting slide guided beneath said plate by said flanges and having a finger projecting upwardly through the opening in said plate into a hole in the bit, an adjusting screw coacting with the slide to move the latter toward and away from the mouth of the sole to longitudinally adjust the bit, and means for detachably engaging the bit while the same is in facial engagement with the pitch plate.

3. A woodworking plane comprising: a stock having a sole with integral upstanding side walls and a transverse mouth, a bit supporting pitch plate secured to the stock and positioned above the sole and between the side walls and inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the mouth and having an opening provided with depressed parallel guide flanges along the lateral edges of the opening, a bit adjusting slide guided in face contacting relation with the under side of the pitch plate by said flanges and having at its forward end an upstanding finger projecting upwardly through the opening in the plate into a hole in the bit, a depending lug at the rear end of the pitch plate, and an adjusting screw passing through said lug and coacting with the slide to move the slide and adjust the bit with respect to the mouth of the sole, and means for clamping the bit to the upper surface of the pitch plate.

4. A Woodworking plane comprising: sheet metal stock having a sole and upstanding side walls at the lateral edges of the sole, a bit supporting sheet metal pitch plate positioned between the side walls and provided at its lateral edges with downwardly extending flanges resting upon the sole and in facial engagement with the inner surfaces of the side walls and secured thereto, said plate being provided at its rear edge with a depending lug and said plate having intermediate its ends an opening with depressed guide flanges along the opposite lateral edges thereof, a bit adjusting slide guided beneath said plate in said guides and having at its forward end an upstanding finger projecting through the opening in the plate and into a hole in the bit, an adjusting screw carried by the depending lug of said plate and threaded into the slide to effect adjustment of the lide when said adjusting screw is rotated, a clamping post mounted on and projecting above the pitch plate, a bit clamp detachably engaged near its forward end with said post and provided at its under side and near its rear end with a threaded boss, and a manually adjustable clamping screw in threaded engagement at one end with said boss and with its opposite end adapted to bear against the upper surface of a bit resting on said pitch plate.

SAUL SHALER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 10,394 Cambell Oct. 13, 1883 680,056 Marks Aug. 6, 1901 840,418 Arnold Jan. 1, 1907 1,151,301 Sparks Aug. 24, 1915 1,642,044 Ritter Sept. 13, 1927 1,874,148 Zdeb Aug. 30, 1932 2,118,499 Durbin May 24, 1938 2,123,842 Cox July 12, 1938 2,423,713 Lavietes July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 807,398 France Jan. 11, 1937 

